An Interview with Sarah DuBois, author of Seasons of Change

I have been married to my wonderful husband for ten years (as of 2023) and we have two beautiful daughters. I work part-time at my daughter’s school while being a stay-at-home mom as well. I also am a shop owner on Etsy and my shop name is SarahsPoeticPrints. I sell some digital prints of my poems since I do write for special occasions too. I have two self-published books on Amazon. The first one is called In Between the Lines and the second and most recent one is called Seasons of Change. I am also a mental health advocate on social media because I want to help as many people as I can by spreading awareness and positivity through my writing/poems.

Who/what made you want to write? Was there a particular person, or particular writers/works/art forms that influenced you?

At first I wanted to write to help myself heal. To me it was more like a journal of my thoughts from the start because I knew that if I couldn’t get it out, the darkness would consume me.

What other professions have you worked in? What’s something about you that your readers wouldn’t know?

I was a babysitter all throughout my teenage years up until my early 30s. I also worked on a horse farm in high school to help pay for my lessons until my mom told me to get a “real” job. I also worked in retail, as a daycare provider and as a nanny. I also used to work for FedEx delivering packages too. Even though I had worked all of these different jobs, my writing was there with me the whole time letting me know that it was always there for me when I needed it the most.

Tell us the story of your book’s title. Was it easy to find, or did it take forever?

I knew that this was the title that I always had wanted it to be. The reason I chose Seasons of Change was because the changing of the seasons have a way of changing how we feel. Our thoughts and feelings can change like the wind even when we don’t always notice it. To me this makes sense because it’s the reason that this entire book reflects my feelings during each change of the season.

How did it feel when you first saw your book cover? Or when you first held your book in your hands?

I was very excited when I saw it. My husband’s best friend is a very talented artist and he did such an amazing job with connecting each of the seasons in a beautiful way. I don’t think I will ever get over that wonderful feeling of holding your own book in your own hands too and all of the potential it can hold.

If your book had a soundtrack, what are some songs that would be on it?

The first song that pops into my head right away is the song called “Turn, Turn, Turn” by The Byrds. A few more would be “I Will Survive” by Gloria Gaynor, “Fight Song” by Rachel Platten, and “Try Everything” by Shakira. “Beautiful” by Christina Aguilera and “Stand Back Up” by Sugarland come to mind as well.

What is one thing you hope readers take away from reading your book? How do you envision your perfect reader?

The one thing that I hope that readers will take away from reading my book is having the courage to believe in yourself that you can do anything. Your feelings are valid. YOU matter. YOU are enough. I believe that everyone will benefit reading my book in some way. Everyone is always going to go through something throughout their lives and I hope that even just one of my poems will help you find the answers you’re looking for.

What was the most rewarding/meaningful part of publishing your book?

The most rewarding and meaningful part of publishing my book is knowing that I CAN make a difference. Not just in my life, but hopefully others as well too. I am here for you because I have been there. I have seen the darkness and understand what it’s like when everything falls apart. I am here to help your light come forth to outshine the darkness and to be free to be able to become a much happier version of yourself.

What new writing projects are you currently working on? Or, other projects that are not writing?

I am currently not working on any specific writing projects right now, but this whole year (2023) has just been about surviving and trying to keep my head above water. I am still proud of myself for that though because that’s ok. Next year is all about truly working on myself and accomplishing my goals, both personally and professionally. I refuse to let my mental health disorders take over my life and let them define me!

Are you a writer, too? Submit your manuscript to Atmosphere Press.